Girl Power Monday

Over the weekend some of our GLL Sport Foundation supported female athletes have had some fantastic achievements which should be celebrated!

Charlie Shotton-Gale from Swindon competed in the European Powerlifting Championships at the weekend out in the Czech Republic. Charlie is new to the GLL Sport Foundation programme this year and we are delighted to have her on board. Charlie is a previous British Champion, having won six British titles, and broken multiple British and Commonwealth records, so it wasn’t a surprise when Charlie came away with a bronze medal.

Charlie achieved 137.5kg in the bench and 557.5kg overall which was enough to win bronze. Charlie’s future aspirations are to achieve world gold, and if she keeps the training up it looks like she is well on her way. She states, “The funding from GLL will go towards international and national competitions in the form of travel costs. Maintaining full time work along with my coaching duties and training proves difficult. The funding will mean I can focus more on developing myself as an athlete.”

Another GLL Sport Foundation and Greenwich Starting Blocks athlete is Sabrina Sinha who has had a very strong start to the track season and a successful Cross Country season. Sabrina is the reigning English Schools Champion for Cross Country and placed 11th in the European Cross Country Championships despite being the youngest in the U20 age category.

Sabrina had to miss the Kent championships at the weekend as she has a very small window in which she can qualify for the European Youth championships. Sabrina had to find a “female only” races where the conditions were conducive to fast times. Yesterday she ran in Manchester at the BMC Grand Prix meeting at SportsCity to try and gain this qualification time.

She ran in the 1500m A race against senior GB athletes including Jess Judd. She ran a PB of 4.18.72 well within the qualifying time for the European Youth championships which is 4.26. That currently ranks her as number 1 on the IAAF U18 World rankings. Sabrina states, ‘Support from GSB over the years has been invaluable and I have used my SportsAid award to pay for 1:1 Strength & Conditioning training which add a vital element to my training which I was lacking before. It also helps with general kit which gets a lot of wear and tear! Thank you for your continued support.”

We wish Sabrina the best of luck in selection to represent Team GB for the European Championships. At the young age of 17 it would be a great opportunity for Sabrina to show what she is capable of against the best in Europe.

Team GB have been doing very well in the Diving at the European Aquatics Championships. GLL Sport Foundation supported athlete Georgia Ward has helped with the medal tally winning a silver in the mixed 10m synchro, and a bronze in the women’s 10m platform. “I don’t think all of the success this week has really hit me, but it is just amazing,” Ward told BBC Sport. You can view the dive here.

Georgia is a member of Dive London Aquatics Club and regularly trains at GLL run London Aquatics Centre. In January, Georgia came 1st in the British National Cup in the women’s 10m synchro and hasn’t looked back from there. 2016 has been a fantastic year and puts her in great stead for selection for the 2016 Rio Olympics. Georgia said, “This funding will help me with travel expenses to and from the pool everyday, kit, and equipment that will help me to perform at the best of my ability. This year I would also like to apply to University and this funding will help with living costs.”

These female athletes are an inspiration to younger athletes and the GLL Sport Foundation want to celebrate their achievements. We’re proud to fund and support these girls and wish them the best of luck in selection and competitions this year! #thisgirlcan